“Oh, this is incredible. I’ve never looked through a telescope that worked this well.”
He stood close; close enough to smell the faint apple scent of her shampoo. He wanted to dig his fingers through her hair, feel its silky texture. Instead, he shoved his hands inside his pockets.
“It was a Christmas present when I was five. Mom bought it for me just for the cabin. We used to spend hours star gazing up here.”
She looked toward him, a smile on her face; an honest expression of almost childlike delight. Though the full effect of it was obscured by the darkness, he felt its warmth to his marrow. His body responded, his cock stiffened, and he was grateful to have his erection hidden by his coat. It took so little for her to arouse him.
“My brother and I used to sneak out of the house when we were kids.” She turned back to the telescope. “We had this secret spot on top of one of the barns. We’d name the constellations and talk about aliens until we scared ourselves silly.”
“I don’t have siblings. It must’ve been nice.”
“Sometimes, other times we hated each other and wished we were only children.”
“Are you close now?”
“Yeah. After our mother died, we drifted apart then realized how much we needed one another.”
Her tone took on a listless quality, not the direction he wanted. He’d already done a background search on her and knew about her mother’s car accident. She’d skidded on wet pavement and slammed into an oncoming tractor trailer.
“Tell me what it was like being raised on a ranch.”
“You did some homework on my past.” She sounded uncomfortable. He didn’t want to dig a hole he couldn’t get out of since he’d started making ground.
“My mother mentioned it.” It was the truth, she spoke often of Abigail.
Abigail told him of the hard work in her childhood—early mornings, no lazy Saturdays parked in front of cartoons. Though it sounded harsh at times, she didn’t seem the least bit regretful. He respected the background she came from. He shared a bit of his own childhood, the happier parts spent with his mother.
The night wrapped around the two of them like a security blanket. He delved further, sharing bits and pieces of the fights he’d had with his old man. Having to come to terms with his future at Whitmore, things he kept a tight lid on. Abigail listened to every word, not offering any comment or judgment. He appreciated her silence, since he wasn’t accustomed to opening up to others.
He returned to the telescope, and after a few tries, managed to bring Saturn into view, the planet’s rings just visible against the black velvet of space. Abigail peeped through the viewfinder and made a happy little squeal.
“My brother and I would’ve loved this as kids. He’d probably like it now. Maybe I’ll get him a telescope for Christmas. It’d be good to take his mind off things.”
His curiosity sparked. “Off what things?”
She shrugged. “Can we see any other planets?”
Liam took her on a tour of the sky, pulling Venus and Jupiter into view. He quizzed Abigail on constellations, and she surprised him by naming them all. When they tired of the telescope, he got a small bonfire going. He took a spot on the blankets and she joined him. Though they didn’t quite touch, her nearness heated his blood. They sipped the cocoa and watched the fire.
“I hadn’t expected this,” she said.
“Expected what?”
She kept her attention straight ahead. “This. I assumed…it’d be more clinical.”
“I’m not following.” How could he, when her mouth looked so inviting?
“How we’d approach the conception. I mean, this is really lovely, and almost feels like a real date. I know it’s not, but I appreciate the effort.”
“Who says it can’t be a date? I’m not opposed to the idea.” He smiled, wanting to see one of hers in return.
Instead she yawned and snuggled further into his borrowed coat. “I don’t know how much Irish cheer you put in this hot cocoa, but it’s making me relax. I’m enjoying myself.”
She leaned against him, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her tight to his side. Expectation strummed his nerve endings, making him hard. He imagined how her lips would taste—sweet chocolate and crème. How she’d feel in his arms—soft, willing, and ready for him. He nuzzled her hair, inhaling her apple-scented shampoo, no sexier perfume existed.
The seduction had worked. He could take her here, beneath the stars, where nothing of the outside world could touch them. He dropped his lips near her earlobe. “Abigail?”
She murmured an incoherent sound and sank further against him. He tightened his hold.
“Can I kiss you?” he asked.
She didn’t respond. When he peered into her face, her eyes were closed, her face relaxed in sleep. He sighed and adjusted his cock, cursing the spiked drink. He turned his attention to the fire, watching it burn low, until only hot coals glowed.
Chapter 12
When Abby awoke, confusion muddled her thoughts. Bright shafts of light streamed through the french doors of the bedroom. She looked to the side of the bed opposite her and noticed it was undisturbed.
Memories of the campfire tugged at her, and being nestled next to Liam. Outside of that...nothing. She must’ve fallen asleep. She groaned and slipped out of bed, still dressed in the clothes she’d arrived in the day before.
She found Liam at the table by the window, working on his laptop. The aroma of coffee drew her toward the kitchen. A dull headache throbbed in her temples thanks to the hot cocoa.
“Good morning,” Liam greeted with a neutral voice. He didn’t look up from his work.
“Morning,” she mumbled, pouring coffee into a mug. She dosed the brew with cream and sugar before taking a sip. “Sorry about last night.”
He glanced to her. “Why are you sorry?”
“I fell asleep on you, and we’re on a deadline.”
“We’ll make up for it later today.”
Awareness shot through her blood, heating her to her toes. Snapping her more awake than five cups of coffee would have. “Have you eaten breakfast? I could throw together a couple of omelets or something.”
“I’ve already eaten, but feel free to make yourself something. You won’t disturb me.”
The odor of wood smoke clung to her from the campfire. She desperately needed a shower but her stomach growled, she felt famished. She dug out eggs, cheese, and spinach and set to work. After cooking her meal, she took it to the breakfast bar, eating quickly.
Abby looked to Liam, considering things. He didn’t seem upset about last night, a big relief. Though to be fair, he’d been the one to make the spiked hot cocoa. She studied his profile. Beard growth shadowed his jawline, giving him a rugged appearance. He’d dressed in a dark blue t-shirt and dark colored jeans, and his feet were bare beneath the table.
Outside of his suit, he looked more youthful and approachable. Like a normal man she’d meet at the grocery store, and not a super-wealthy socialite. One of his hands rested on his thigh, and she stared at his long fingers with clean, blunt nails. The other hand hovered over the touchpad on his laptop, the tip of his finger tracing over it. She became fixated on the action. The fluttering of arousal teased between her thighs, leaving her wet, as she imagined it doing the same over her clit.
An idea took root, though if she could actually pull it off remained to be seen. Abby’s face heated and she jumped up before her bravery failed her. She put her dirty dishes in the dishwasher, went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth and scrubbed her face. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, noting her paleness. It’s now or never. I’m not a freakin’ virgin, I can do this. It’s not like he’s going to reject me. After the first time it won’t feel as awkward.
After the mental pep talk she stripped out of her clothes, did a quick sniff test, and swiped a bit of deodorant beneath her arms.
“Okay, I can do this.” She inhaled a fortifying breath for courage
and marched out of the bathroom butt naked. Liam didn’t look up when she paused just inside the living room. The sound of the keyboard clicking under his fingers filled her ears. After the first time it won’t be so awkward. It’s like learning to draw blood from a patient—it’s terrifying the first try.
“Liam.” Her voice came out a hoarse croak and she cleared her throat.
“Hmm?” He stared at the laptop, his eyebrows drawn together as he read something.
“Do you need a shower?”
“I took one when we came back this morning. It’s all yours.”
She frowned, her trepidation turning to impatience. The bravest moment of her life was being ignored. She stared at him, willing him to look away from the stupid laptop.
Liam finally glanced up then did a double take. His eyes widened, his gaze taking her in head to toe. His lips parted as if to say something, but only a grunting sound came out.
Her face burned. “Do you need a shower?” she asked again, unsure if he looked pleased or appalled.
He stood up so fast his chair toppled backward, landing with a loud bang on the tile. Liam’s long legs carried him toward her. She backed away, tripping over her own feet, groping for the wall for balance, suddenly reconsidering her brazenness. She hadn’t expected him to charge like a bull in rut.
He was on her before she could retreat. He grabbed her arm, his mouth was on hers, hot, demanding, his fingers digging into the flesh of her backside. His tongue shoved between her teeth, taking hers in a rough caress.
Her body’s response was immediate, already wet and ready. Abby clutched his shoulders as he half carried her to the bedroom. Liam deposited her on the mattress and pulled away long enough to yank his shirt over his head and discard his jeans and briefs. His cock bobbed free, thick and tempting, precum glistening at its tip.
Gone was the timid woman from moments before. Abby’s wild hormones took over, leaving no room for shame. She reached for his cock. No foreplay, she needed him inside her. Fast.
He jerked back from her grasp and dropped to his knees at the bedside. He grabbed her hips, his strong fingers bruising muscle as he yanked her forward and buried his face in her pussy. Abby hadn’t expected the oral; she’d never been quite comfortable with oral sex, and tried to push his head away, but he wouldn’t budge. He took her with his lips and tongue. Rough and uncoordinated, but God, everything she hadn’t realized she craved.
In the span of a minute she rode pleasure higher than anything she’d ever experienced. Nothing would ever compare to the feel of his tongue sliding all over her pussy. One final flick of it over her clit, and a thousand stars burst behind her closed eyelids. She cried out with the pleasure, grabbing at his hair as he moved away.
She opened her eyes, watching as he wiped his hand over his mouth. His hot eyes glittered in the sunlight, and the wanton expression on his face made her tremble. She made to close her legs, shielding her sex from his ravenous gaze, but he caught her knees and parted her thighs wide. He wedged his hips between them, lifting her butt off the bed, before his glans pressed against her entrance.
She was tight, the stretching uncomfortable, but too eager to wait, she wrapped her legs around his middle, shoving into him, taking him fully. The quick sting of pain was quickly replaced by an all-encompassing need. Abby whimpered, clutching the comforter. Liam growled, and pumped into her, their union fevered. The pleasure rebuilt, spiraling tighter and tighter deep inside, until her entire body shook with its pent-up energy.
“Open your eyes.” The gruff demand made her eyes pop wide. Liam trapped her gaze, his needful look burrowing into her soul. “Come for me, Abigail.”
Her every nerve ending snapped, and only a choked sound escaped her throat as the climax robbed her of her senses. She collapsed into his grip, and he growled her name, spilling his cum deep within her walls.
She’d never had sex like it before—hot, fast, orgasmic sex. Sure, she’d had unfulfilling quickies, but nothing she’d label wholly pleasurable on her end. Maybe mildly pleasant at best.
His harsh breathing echoed hers. He stepped back and looked down to her, his face flushed dark. She grabbed the comforter, dragging part of it over her, shielding her nakedness from his raw perusal. She’d expected shame or remorse after their first tryst. Instead, she drifted on a cloud of bliss.
“You pulled me away from an important meeting.” Though his voice sounded harsh, a smile curved his lips. “I need to get back to it.”
As if on cue, his cellphone chirped from the next room.
He made an impatient sound and redressed. He licked his lips and drew his bottom lip between his teeth, looking to her again. “I promise more next time.”
He disappeared into the bathroom, and she heard the sink running. Afterward, he left her alone. More? Could there be anything better than the mind-blowing experience she’d just had? Better sex in the last few minutes than she’d had her entire life—even if they were all lumped together. Either her other lovers were really terrible or she’d been horribly sex starved. Or maybe it was the intense attraction she felt for Liam. Something she didn’t want to dwell on lest it bloom into God knows what.
She crawled from bed, a bit unsteady on her feet as she tottered into the bathroom to shower. She soaped up, humming a tune beneath the warm shower spray, feeling content for the first time since she’d been offered the contract.
She redressed in an oversized sweater and jeans. She heard Liam giving instructions on business matters during the conference call. She snagged her cross-stitch from her purse and stepped into the hallway. Instead of turning toward the library, she decided to go into the living room. Not to be near Liam, she chastised herself, but so she wouldn’t appear a rude hermit. Which sounded like incredibly lame reasoning, she did want to be near Liam after what they’d shared.
“What do you have for me, Spencer?” Liam asked.
“After our last acquisition, we’re looking good for next quarter,” Spencer’s statement drifted from the laptop. “I assume discussing private company information isn’t a concern at the moment?”
Abby winced with the sound of Mr. Davidson’s voice. His warnings repeated in her mind, and she peered over her stitching to Liam. His face remained impassive as he sipped from a glass of water. He set the glass aside. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I’d hate to think other ears were privy to what we’re discussing,” Mr. Davidson answered.
“What is he referring to?” a woman asked.
“Ignore him, Darlene. Spencer, let me know what I’m looking at.”
The two men spoke at length on sales figures. Once they’d finished, she heard Charity’s voice mixed in with Darlene’s. The meeting wrapped up, and Abby realized she hadn’t made one stitch to her Austin capitol building. She’d stared at Liam the entire time, listening to the confident cadence to his voice as he gave instructions. He was captivating when in his element, sort of like watching a lion stalking the savannah. She scowled at the musing and forced her attention back to her needle and thread.
“How would you like a morning hike?” Liam snapped the laptop closed and stood, taking his water glass to the kitchen.
“Sure, I’d love one.” She set her stitching aside. “I could’ve left the room during your conference.” Which would’ve been the polite thing, she realized, instead of ogling her host.
“Are you planning to sell company secrets?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow.
She couldn’t help a grin. “I wouldn’t know where to begin with something like that.”
He returned the smile, and it melted her insides. “We’ll take a trail near the lake. The thin mountain air will make it difficult so we won’t go too far. Supposed to be sixty today, you’ll only need a light coat.”
She retrieved her shoes and the jacket she’d brought while he grabbed his own.
After about thirty minutes of hiking her lungs screamed for oxygen and she had to sit down. The altitude made it feel like she’d sprinted a
marathon. Liam placed the rifle against a tree before he joined her on the fallen aspen she’d plopped down on. She eyed the gun that she’d insisted on bringing along in case of bears.
“Will I need to carry you back?” he teased.
She tried to laugh, but it came out a choked sound. “Hope not. Give me a couple minutes to catch my breath.” She drank from the water bottle he offered her, wetting her parched throat. “You have more endurance than me.”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
The baritone rumble of his voice sent shivers through her. When she looked into his face, it didn’t take much imagination to know where his thoughts lay. His eyes were warm in the glare of sunlight, setting off their blue tint. She blushed to the tips of her ears.
“I love how easily you blush.” He reached out and smoothed her bangs away from her eyes. “But I appreciate you aren’t shy in bed.”
But she was shy in bed. Well, she’d always thought of herself as being shy. She’d been told she was shy.
He straddled the log and pulled her around to face him. Somewhere a Magpie quarreled, its croaking cry barely registering. Liam’s nearness was all-consuming and the beautiful, serene landscape evaporated around her.
“Tell me what you like, Abigail.” He took her hands, and she swayed toward him.
She focused on his mouth. “What I like?”
He smiled again. And again, her heartbeat responded with a corresponding shot of adrenaline. His fingers left hers, and he traced his hands up her thighs, pausing when his thumbs neared her crotch. He teased her with tiny circles on her inner thighs. She moaned, her heated blood rushing in her ears. He leaned in, and her lips parted, waiting for the kiss, her eyelids fluttering closed. He bypassed her mouth, and his hot breath brushed her ear.
“I’ll start.” The vibration of his voice carried all the way to her bones. “I love eating a woman out. I love her taste, her scent, the way she comes against my tongue.” His cheek pressed against hers. “I loved making you scream this morning, Abigail. Now tell me how else I can do it.”
How did he expect her to reply when he’d scrambled her brain? His thumbs continued their never-ending circles, and her pussy ached, needing the attention.
The Baby Contract (The Billionaire Bachelor Series) Page 9